In the last 2-3 years i've had some very decent gear and have found that it doesn't really bring me any more happiness than the cheaper stuff I thought it would make obsolete. In this period I've had:
Musicman Bongo 5 HS
Dingwall NG3
Fender Marcus Miller Jazz
Musicman Stingray 5 HH
Spector Euro 6LX
And having traded or sold them all, I'm currently gigging (in order of preference)
Squier VM Jazz
Yamaha RBX775
Fender MIM Precision
I think the reason for my fickleness is that i'm playing pub gigs for 50 quid a couple of times a month, and taking £1k+ of bass seems a bit ridiculous. Also since I know I can do the same job with cheaper stuff, having a few grand of instruments in capital doesn't seem as sensible as cash in the bank for real life things (car repairs, booking a holiday, etc)
Anyone else gone through expensive stuff and reverted back to beginner/average stuff ? The GAS seems to always want to move me up in the market, but I know deep down it's a waste of effort, i'll feel guilty after the purchase, and will sell again within a few months.
But if I know I will not lose money (even sometimes make a bit), and have the spare cash, it does feel like a fun hobby 😎.